Faceted
by DragonLadyRachael
Summary: Kyoya is a diamond, but not in the rough, no. He has cut away all that has no merit, so what's left? Will he shine, or shatter? *Kyoya centric, a series of vignettes, abuse implied off camera, some Kyoya/Haruhi*


Faceted

A diamond was a stone created by eons of heat and unbearable pressure, most valuable when all that was unnecessary was cut away, leaving only that which was pure and brilliant. Sometimes a flaw, a weakness, unnoticed before cutting, would cause an otherwise brilliant stone to break under the pressure, shattering into pieces. The resulting pieces would then be crushed, worthy only to be used as an abrasive, to polish less worthy things. Kyoya turned the stone in his hand, thinking about this moment to come, would he shine, or shatter? Resolved, he stood to take his chance.

-*FLASH*-

Kyoya was young, he hadn't started school yet, though he was looking forward to it. Staying home was boring, the nanny was boring, he wanted to learn something interesting. In pursuit of something interesting, Kyoya started sneaking out of his room at night. Sometimes he would go to his father's library, sometimes his office. Tonight, as he crept toward the office, he could hear voices and crying. Better not try to go in, then. The sounds were muffled, even with his ear pressed to the door. He heard his father shouting something about 'grades' and 'failure'. He could hear Fuyimi's voice, but not her words.

Kyoya crept back to his bed, disturbed by the revelation. His sister was the only one who ever had time for him, had he caused her trouble with her grades? He would ask her tomorrow.

The next day, he spoke to her, carefully avoiding any mention of her bandaged arm. They never mentioned the bruises any of them received, lest worse befall them. Her eyes grew wide when he asked if the time she spent with him would be more productive if applied to her studies. She hugged her little brother and whispered, with tears in her eyes, "No, Kyoya, people should always be more important than things, like grades. But I will do better in class, don't worry." He nodded, and thought about that, for a long time.

The following day, there was a new door to his room that locked from the outside.

-*FLASH*-

As he grew, Kyoya often heard his father talk in terms of 'Merit', things that would benefit him, and ultimately the family. Wealth had merit, power had merit, emotion did not, unless the public show of compassion (charity, for example), raised the opinions of investors and shareholders. A third son, for instance, had little merit if he would not explicitly follow his father's instructions.

Kyoya was determined to gain as much merit as possible. He was nine at the time.

-*FLASH*-

In middle school, his only friends were the children of other Ootori allies. He often found them vapid, boring, and selfish, but did his best to maintain the important alliances.

One day at recess, he saw many of them gathered around someone. A girl, slightly younger than him, was being pushed from one to the other, crying hopelessly. Her books lay on the ground, papers flapping in the breeze. A set of copper wire framed glasses lay atop them, the arms bent from being ripped from her face. Should he intervene? The girl whimpered as the boys jeered at her. She looked a bit like Fuyimi, shouldn't someone help her? He stalked toward them, sunlight shining from his glasses, beginning to take on the expression the morning maids had come to dread. "Excuse me, boys, is this conduct really suitable for people of our station? After all, it would be a shame if your families were suddenly bankrupt once my Father hears of this." "What do you care, Ootori, she's just a new girl." One of the boys replied. 'Hmm, that one's been in trouble before, medical supply family, not the highest quality, Father's been looking for an excuse to cut them that won't upset the other investors.' Kyoya smiled his shark smile and turned to the girl, offering her his hand. "Pardon me, dear girl, I must apologize for the behavior of these soon to be poor ruffians. My name is Kyoya Ootori, would you be willing to share your name with me?" She sniffled and rubbed her eyes while Kyoya offered her his handkerchief. "I'm Sakura Nakimura, and we just moved here." "Ah yes, of Nakimura Pharmaceuticals? I believe our parents are meeting at the end of this week." By this time, the others had run off, leaving them alone. Seeing a scrape on her elbow, still bleeding sluggishly, he pulled his first aid kit from his bag to clean and bandage it. "Are you going to be a doctor? I know one of your brothers is." Kyoya managed to keep his smile in place, and replied "Perhaps. Let's gather your things and get you to class. The bell will ring soon." He gently straightened her glasses and helped her with her bag.

That night he was called to his father's office. Yoshio Ootori was pleased about something, the fear Kyoya kept hidden eased. His father went on and on about the merit he had brought by helping the child of a major ally, and the punishments the others would receive. Kyoya showed gratitude for the praise, not mentioning that he hadn't known who she was beforehand. He resolved to always know everything, from now on, while a tiny part of him thought 'I would have helped her anyway.'

Eventually, Sakura's family moved again, and they lost touch before high school, not that they had tried too hard before. Friendly acquaintances, not really friends.

-*FLASH*-

As he neared high school, his father had more suggestions (orders) of people he should befriend. After he met Tamaki Suoh, he requested a meeting himself. "The boy's an emotional idiot, all passion and flightiness, why do you want me to befriend him?" He asked mildly, carefully staying within his bounds. "I know. Put up with him, make him value you, his father is the superintendent of Ouran. He would be a valuable business partner." Yoshio Ootori had tightened his fingers on a pen, Kyoya saw the warning sign and quickly agreed. "Yes Father." He replied and bowed before leaving.

As Tamaki began to grow on him (like a fungus), his ideas of merit began to change, and he began to quietly gather money and stocks toward a time when he found something worth having.

-*FLASH*-

When Haruhi Fujioka stumbled into Music Room #3, he knew several things that the others didn't. He knew she was a scholarship student, he knew about her father, he knew her to be poor, he knew her to be a girl. Inwardly he laughed as the others figured it out, predictably, Tamaki was last. This would be … interesting.

-*FLASH*-

After the incident at the beach house, Kyoya wondered if he was beginning to develop feelings for that girl. When he had trapped her, and she looked at him so trustingly, part of him had desperately wanted to close the gap between them to kiss her. Fortunately for his sense of control, Tamaki had stumbled in before he had allowed himself to explore the impulse.

When he had awoken (for the second time) in the commoner's mall, to find himself without his phone or wallet, his only thoughts had been how to murder and dismember Tamaki without getting caught. He had not expected Haruhi to show up, or the way the day unfolded. When she called him a 'nice guy', he was startled. Ootoris weren't nice, they were ruthless, calculating, and inevitably victorious. His sister was nice, but now she was a Shido, not an Ootori.

What exactly did she see in him, and was it really there?

-*FLASH*-

CRASH! Tamaki knocked a tea set to the ground, shattering it. "That will be added to your debt, Haruhi." Kyoya said without even looking up. "Wait a minute! How exactly was that my fault? I was nowhere near him!" "He was running towards you, because the twins were teasing him about you. Therefore it is your fault." His eyes were hidden by the glare "You are, of course, welcome to discuss it after hosting hours are over." Haruhi glared back at him "Yes. I think I will."

Once the last of the girls had left, the others followed them in short order. None were willing to stay in the crossfire, should either of the two Demons appear. Tamaki was last out, weeping "I'm so sorry! Mother! Please don't hurt her! I'll check on you in the morning, my darling daughter!" "Really not necessary, Tamaki, stay away from my house!" Shouted Haruhi. Finally the door closed and Haruhi turned back to scowl at Kyoya.

"What is up with you? Every single time something is broken or damaged, you add it to my debt, whether it's truly my fault or not!" She was almost yelling at him. Kyoya smiled slightly "I find merit in it." Haruhi growled "Yes, I'm sure you do." She walked closer, almost getting in his face. "Ha, 'Merit'. You keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means." Kyoya snapped his laptop closed and leaned against his tented hands, giving her his undivided attention "Merit: an action or behavior containing value, or an expression of worth. Something that is deserved." Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank you, Dictionary-sama. Not everything can or should be defined in terms of monetary value or influence. People matter, friendship matters, love matters! The value of a person is who they are, and shouldn't be dependent on how many little slips of paper they have. Money _doesn't care_ who holds it, it shouldn't be a defining attribute of humanity." Kyoya tilted his head slightly, "My Father would disagree." He said calmly. Haruhi's shoulders slumped and she bowed her head. "He's wrong." She was proud of how her voice remained steady as her vision blurred. "I wish you would just tell me why you want me to stay, rather than trying to use my debt to chain me here." Kyoya stood abruptly, and Haruhi took a half step backwards. He gently tilted her chin so she was meeting his eyes. At this distance, the glass was clear, and she could see him as he tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes. "As you wish." He said as he took the plunge, feeling a part of himself falling, "I wish you to stay because you are intriguing, you're one of the few women I've ever met that I would be willing to spend an hour of my own time with, and you know how I value my time. You truly don't care about money, a concept highly foreign to many of the people I know, and you actually see me as myself, and not my last name, which is nearly unheard of. Only my sister and the Host Club have ever bothered to try." She leaned slightly forward, so he bent down to give her a kiss. 'Gently, gently' he reminded himself, as a heat grew in him 'Mustn't scare her off.'

After a few moments (or an eternity, or possibly both at once), they separated and stepped back. Haruhi's face was flushed and her breathing unsteady. She took a few deep breaths, looked him in the eye, and spoke. "No more of the random debt hikes. I promise to pay for anything that is truly my fault, and you promise to give me a fair accounting. I'm willing to go out with you, but I choose the place half the time, and pay for those I choose. Special events, such as anniversaries or holidays, should we last that long, are mutually negotiated and a budget agreed on beforehand. You will not manipulate or attempt to guilt me on your dates, I will not manipulate or try to guilt you on mine. Are we agreed?" Kyoya smiled widely (and his face failed to break in half, surprisingly) "How very legal of you. As you wish. I agree." She extended her arm to seal the deal, which he took, giving her the 'We are close allies' handshake. Then, to her surprise, he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it. "I can promise you, this will be…interesting." He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled.

-*FLASH*-

The dates went well, but not as Kyoya had expected. He only took her out some of the time, she only cooked some of the time. They spent a majority of their dates as study dates, working on classes or host ideas, whoever's turn it was would order delivery. She managed to teach him to cook a few things, he found some inexpensive restaurants and coffee shops he liked. Both of them spent way too much in bookstores, which he would then have delivered to her, and she would scold him about "her turn".

The other hosts were largely oblivious, as far as Kyoya could tell, though Mori and Honey occasionally gave him sharp glances.

-*FLASH*-

As the end of the year neared, their absent comfort with each other began to make itself felt at school. It seemed to be silently acknowledged that they were together, and Kyoya was largely considered much too dangerous to harass about any theoretical gayness he may have. Of course he was the pitcher, there was no doubt in anyone's mind.

Renge was particularly ecstatic. Her stories would sell three times as much!

Hikaru finally got over his jealousy, after the disastrous date at the pension, especially after he and Kaoru realized that she didn't treat them any differently, even if she was dating the Shadow King.

Tamaki figured it out last, of course, and after an hour of wailing about his "darling daughter" growing up, he managed to congratulate them, with only a small pout.

-*FLASH*-

Kyoya had found something worth having. His businesses were doing well, if he wished he could buy a controlling interest in the Ootori Group. He briefly fantasized about doing so, but found that he didn't want the power anymore. This was more important.

He looked at the small box in his hand. Item: one diamond solitaire, in platinum, small but nearly flawless. She would hate anything large, and would probably think the band was silver unless she thought to ask. He wouldn't lie, just fail to mention it.

Tonight he would be cooking for her, a simple stirfry. Lost in thought, he failed to notice it was burning until he smelled the smoke. He turned it off and opened the windows, hoping to avoid the smoke detectors going off. He dumped the pan in the sink, gripping the counter until his knuckles turned white. Should he wait for it to be perfect? No, enough delay, he wanted to propose before school was over, and present his father with a fait accompli over the summer. Let him threaten to disown him, it didn't matter anymore.

It was like this she found him, and gently touched his hand. He abruptly let go, his hands aching from holding so tight, and turned to her. He gathered her in his arms and said, in a small voice "I'm sorry. I burned it. I wanted it to be perfect." She shook her head and smiled at him, "It's okay, Kyoya, I don't care about perfect. We're together, that's what matters, why don't we just order?" He smiled shakily "I'll pay."

After dinner, he went down to one knee, pulling the box from his pocket. She nodded and kissed him. He shone with joy.

-*FLASH*-

After the Ouran fair, her defense of him, and the disastrous rescue of 'that blonde idiot', Kyoya found himself called to his father's office. He managed to avoid laughing at his father's order that he marry Haruhi, finally something they could both agree on. Naturally, he failed to mention his success, appreciating that they would have some breathing room now. He demanded time and lack of interference from his father, who surprisingly agreed.

He immediately went to Haruhi's house, to meet with her and Ranka, who had known beforehand about his intention to propose. How they all laughed at their victory. They determined to avoid telling him for as long as possible. Let the petty old man think he was in charge, none of them cared anymore. He had nothing left that Kyoya wanted.


End file.
